BON VOYAGE, DEA!!!!

(No, you have NOT stumbled upon some teens myspace page....)

We sent our eldest on a plane to Europe early this morning(well, Denver, and then to Europe on Tuesday with a delegation of kids.) Finally, after 2 years of fundraising, saving almost everything she made baking, babysitting, and working in Huz's office, and painstakingly handling all the details, Dea is on her way to Greece(sigh), Italy, and France. She was nominated 2 years ago to become a student ambassador with People to People and travel abroad, learning about cultures/teaching about ours. We are so incredibly proud of her. Of her determination, her steadfastness, willpower, open mindedness, and moxy. My little girlie is growing up into a wonderful young woman. Wasn't it just yesterday that she was this smilin'est little thing, loving to be held, Oh. here I go....


I'm back. Little verklempt. Our home will have an empty nebulous space while she is gone. 24 days. The longest we've all been apart from each other. Poor Lo started fretting about this 2-3 months ago...If this is hard...holy shit! what are we gonna do when she goes to college?!?!? Ugh. I'm vacillating between excitement for her, nervousness, JEALOUSY!!!! ;), and a total funk. She deserves to have the time of her life and I know she will. I wish WE were the ones taking her-experiencing it as a family, but it's hard to tell when we could make that happen. I'm a big advocate of the "Travel when your YOUNG!" club, so I'm thankful and so glad we could make this happen for her, NOW. And we'll look forward to future family trips abroad....I'm sending the intention out to the universe..and now I'm gonna go down into the bowels of the basemennt and dig up my old travel guides....

Last weekend we held a Bon Voyage party/Summer BBQ with many friends young and old(er). It was the first kegger either Huz or I have ever thrown!

Usually it's a time for Huz to showcase his home brew, but with the cost of hops these days....fuggetabout it. Despite the fact that it was chilly and too windy for the bonfire or fire pit, everyone seemed to have a fun time. Dea invited a few friends to stay and sleepover as well. It's times like these when I pause to give thanks for the wonderful friends we have and the support they have shown in this and many other situations. ...Girlie, as imperfect as we all can be, I hope you never doubt for an instant how much you are loved... oh. here I go again...

Good buds:

2 of Dea's former teachers-cum-family friends came, too!

Could you just KILL for those lashes?!?!? Dea, M( Dea's future teacher!), and M's beautiful bambino.

Well, one simply MUST get a Fronch manicure if one is traveling in Fronce, oui?!?!?!

CIAO!!!!

...We love you beyond the stars...